Midnight Murder
by Saki Inazuma
Summary: Roy and Ed are assigned to investigate a series of linked murders. Will Roy be able to face down ghosts from his past before the death count gets too high? And what does this have to do with the Ishbal Massacre that occured years ago? RoyxEd
1. Depression

Hello, everyone. Man...it's odd that I'm doing a RoyxEd pairing. I'm more of a RoyxHughes fan myself, but I was just in the mood for this, I guess. I really have no idea how far I'll take the story, but I hope you enjoy it.

**Chapter One: Depression**

"I-I think you've had enough, sir," suggested the young bar tender timidly. He wasn't quite sure how to deal with this broken man who had wandered in here hours earlier. The one with ruffled black hair as if it hadn't seen a comb in days looked up at the bartender with longing, tired eyes.

"I'll tell you when I've had enough," the Colonel said in a slurred voice, then muttered something vaguely. "_He_ never said anything like that to me...you're not my friend. Nobody's my friend anymore." He put a hand over his face and started whimpering and whining. The man was like a small child in this drunken state of depression, but then again, the death of your best friend can do that to you.

"I'm g-going to have to ask you to leave, alright?" He walked around the counter to the bar stool where the drunk was sitting. Placing his hands on the man's shoulders, he started to direct Roy out of the building.

"Don't friggin' TOUCH me!" The Colonel fought to break loose of the bartender's hold, but in vain, for he stumbled a bit and collided into a table, nearly pushing it over. "I can show myself out, thank you very...much." He hiccuped and tried to make his way to the door, tripping over nothing on the way and falling face-first to the ground. He then curled up in a little ball and whined, "Help me, Hughes..."

The bartender eventually managed to get the drunken man out of his bar, who made his was into an alleyway, clinging to the wall for support. He felt the muscles expand and contract in his abdomen, and he vomited violently all over the place. It was a long and dreadful process, and he didn't feel the least bit better when it was finally over. Wiping its remenants from his mouth with his sleeve, Roy staggered and eventually settled on sitting up against the wall, hugging his knees to his chest and burying his face in them. He then started sobbing.

"Damn it all..."

Winry's eyes lit up more and more as she looked around at their surroundings. To her, the automail capital Rush Valley was heaven, simply put.

"Ed...!" She shook her childhood friend's arm with great enthusiasm. "You _have_ to take me to all the wonderful shops while we're here! Okay?" Edward cocked a brow. "We're only here temporarily. _Our_ mission is priority, remember?" Winry glared and hit Ed upside the back of his head. "You are so...so _selfish_ sometimes, Edward!"

"Hey guys..." Alphonse put a hand gingerly on Winry's shoulder. "Let's not fight right now." Winry turned her head away from Ed.

"Hmph! I should have never followed you here." Ed twitched.

"Well that's two of us."

"What did you say!"

Clonk.

Winry's wrench connected with the back of Ed's head, causing him to yelp in pain and grasp his throbbing head with both hands. Winry put her wrench away.

"C'mon, I didn't hit you that hard. Stop being such a baby about it." They were interrupted by a man in uniform who stepped out in front of them.

"Mr...Edward Elric? The Fullmetal Alchemist?" The man inquired.

"That's me." Ed cocked a brow. "And...who are you, exactly?"

"Ah," the man sighed in relief. "I thought I'd never find you. It took me days to track you down. I have here a message for you from Furher Bradley." He handed a rolled up piece of paper tied with a blue ribbon to to blonde. Ed eyed it suspiciously and took it. "Good day, sir." The man bowed his head and left immediately.

"What is it, Ed? I wanna see." She looked over his shoulder, only to receive a glare from the short one, obviously meaning to back off. He looked it over quickly, his eyes darting back and forth across the paper, then groaned.

"You _have_ to be kidding me."

Roy's eyes opened slowly, but quickly shut them again when he found that the powerful rays from the sun shining through an open window were shining directly into them. He loudly moaned, sounding utterly pathetic. What the hell happened...? Ugh, and why the hell did his head feel like it was going to freaking burst?

"Rise and shine, Colonel," said a cheerful and _loud_ voice. Roy quickly moved his hands up to his ears as his head started throbbing relentlessly. "Uuuuggghhhhh...damn..." He opened his eyes again, this time even more slowly, to see a smirking Riza Hawkeye standing beside him, leaning over him with her hands on her hips. "Sleep well, princess?"

"Whuh...what happened? Why am I...here?"

"You don't remember last night? I found you all curled up in an alleyway, out like a light, sleeping in your own vomit. Speaking of which, get the hell off my couch before you stink it up even more and go take a shower." Roy blinked as he looked up at her with helpless eyes, as if the hangover was some kind of unjust punishment for which he had done nothing wrong.

"Okay..." he said slowly, taking his sweet time sitting up carefully, wincing at the throbbing pain in his head.

"Move it, Roy. You are so damn lucky that I had an errand to run last night. If I wasn't there, I don't know _what_ could've happened to you." Roy walked rather dizzily to the bathroom and slowly started to take care of himself.

Much later, Roy emerged from the bathroom, not smelling much better, for his clothes were still stained from his vomit. He found that Riza had breakfast waiting for the two of them on the table; fresh omlettes and sausages and bacon and toast. It all smelled sooo goood...

"Urk..." Roy covered his mouth with his hand and ran back into the bathroom, where he barfed profusely in the toilet. Riza entered the bathroom and stood over the Colonel. "Even the sight of food makes you puke? Just how much did you drink last night?" Roy wiped the vomit from his mouth and looked up at Riza with those helpless eyes. Her glare softened.

"It's because of Hughes, huh?" Roy nodded slowly, then bent back over the toilet and vomited some more. It was strange; he didn't think he had anything left in his stomach to vomit up.

"How are you able to cope with it?" Roy asked when he was done. Riza looked away.

"I'm...not. I'm very depressed as well. But I don't drown my misery in booze. I'm trying to do as he would want us to do; be happy. He wouldn't want us fretting over him." Roy nodded. Riza was right. He knew Hughes the best out of all of them; he wouldn't want so much to go wrong because of him. But...it was difficult. It was a nice idea to move on with life and be happy again, but that was harder that it sounded. Hughes was such a big part of his life, and he had so many regrets about the way he treated him.

After that little situation was taken care of, Riza and Roy sat together on her couch with some tea. Hopefully Roy could keep that down.

"I should probably walk you home now. Um...I really don't know how to break this to you, but you're needed at HQ this afternoon. I got a call from HQ, saying they couldn't reach you, and to give you the message." This remark was followed by a loud groan. Goodie, an assignment. He was _so_ totally up for an assignment.

Roy finished his tea and stood up. "I can make it home on my own. Thank you for all you've done, Riza."

"Take care, Colonel," she called after him as he shut her front door.

Once Roy got home, he changed his clothes, and, because he felt like it, took another long shower. This was followed by a large dosage of asprin.

Roy showed up a bit late to headquarters, which led to being chewed out by one of his bosses. Yay, the headache was back. How nice. The Colonel then took a seat in front of the desk of his boss and crossed his arms.

"What did you need me for, sir?" His boss shuffled through a stack of papers as if he hadn't even heard the man's question, and then looked up.

"You've been assigned to investigate a series of seemingly related murders. This is very serious. Many State Alchemists have been dying at the hands of this murderer- or murderers."

"What makes you think they are related?"

"The details of the murders are quite similar. One- they were all done at night. Two- scorch marks have been found all over the victims' bodies. Three- the officers killed were all specialized in the field of alchemic research- and that field specificly. No fighters. We have no leads on what the murderer or murderers look like, but we believe that with your cunning and experience, you can find this killer and take him down. There will be a promotion awaiting your successful return..." He smiled slyly at the Colonel; he knew his ambitions well. "Of course, you will not go unaided." He looked over at the man standing guard by the door and nodded. "Let him in."

Theman opened the door slowly, and little by little Roy saw the person he'd least like to see at that moment.Theshort blonde walked in slowly, peeking his head through the door first. When he saw a certain familiar face, a vein in his head was near to the point of bursting. He stood there, gaping for a second, before throwing a temper tantrum.

"No way...you want me to work with HIM!" Ed exclaimed rather loudly. Roy stood up quickly.

"Fullmetal? Surely there's someone else, sir." He looked over at his boss with pleading eyes. The shrimp was already beginning to make his head throb again.

"You both have been assigned to this task. End of discussion. You are dismissed." Roy and Ed looked at each other briefly, Ed twitching an eyebrow and Roy clenching his teeth. This was going to be one _long_ assignment.

That's it for chapter one. Reviews are appreciated.


	2. Asprin

Aghhh! Curse you, computer! You notice that the story jumps from one scene to another without showing that it's gonna? Well, I put little symbols to separate the scenes, but for some reason, they did show up. And I can't go back and edit now. My apollogies.

**Chapter Two: Asprin**

Shaky fingers ran slowly through thick black hair on a head riddled with migrane. The Colonel was very busy finishing up last-minute paperwork before the departure tomorrow. He and his new "partner" were to leave by train to the next town first thing in the morning. Roy had taken a big overdose of asprin for his god damn hangover, and still seemingly no effect.

And what made it worse was what wasn't happening. He had found it nothing but a nuisance when Hughes would call him up daily, maybe even hourly sometimes, to ramble on about his family. But it wasn't happening today. Nor would it ever happen again. The feeling was strange...it was like when you get the hiccups, and you spend so much time trying to cure them, and you finally do, but then you feel like you're going to hiccup any minute, and you have a sort of longing for the former sensation you were used to.

Hughes was gone.

I was so hard for Roy to get that thought through his head; he had no idea why. He just had that feeling that Hughes was going to show up suddenly as if nothing had ever happened. It came as such a shock to him when he had first found out about the incident, it was like it wasn't real, like he was going to wake up any minute from this stupid nightmare. But after a few days, it slowly started to sink in. As much as he hated to admit it, Hughes was the best friend he had ever had. Their brotherly bond made it so easy for Roy to take him for granted. He cursed himself for it, but there was nothing that could be done. What was gone was gone.

Roy, head throbbing even harder than before (if that was possible), reached toward the front of his desk, groping for the bottle of asprin, his tired eyes still fixed upon the paperwork before him. He took two pills from the bottle, slid it lazily back to its original location and tossed them into his mouth and swallowed hard.

He found himself nodding off constantly. For some unknown reason, he had been so tired lately, as if he hadn't been getting any sleep at all. He had tried to remedy this by going to bed as early as he could and trying to sleep in as late as he could without being late for work, but he was still so drowsy. And this had been happening ever since Hughes died. Perhaps emotional stress? Hell if he knew.

"Hmm..." His mind jumped around to random memories he had shared with Hughes. He let his eyelids droop a bit as he strolled down memory lane. Paperwork? What paperwork...

A knock at the door.

"Huh? What?" Roy sat straight up, realizing he had fallen asleep. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes angrily and tried to somewhat compose himself before mumbling hoarsely, "Come in."

"You wanted to see me, Colonel?" said Edward grudgingly after he opened the door and let himself in.

"Yes, it's about tomorrow. Have a seat." Ed did as he was told, his glaring eyes on Roy the whole time. Roy massaged his left temple with two fingers and scribbled something else down on the paper he was working on before looking up at the 15 year old.

"Did you get your train ticket?"

"Yes."

"And are you prepared for the journey?"

"Pretty much. But Alphonse is still busy packing his things."

"Your brother isn't coming." Ed twitched.

"Say what?" Roy cocked a brow.

"You heard me. He can't tag along with you for this one. It'll be dangerous to have too many people with us, as the murder is targeting State Alchemists specifically. We have to do our best to attract as little attention to ourselves as we possibly can. And your brother doesn't exactly...blend in."

"But Al's smart. He'd be useful. You said this would be a tough case."

"Didn't you just hear me? We can't risk it. Besides, don't you have confidence in your own abilities?" Ed stood up.

"That's not what I'm worried about! I just don't want to be stuck traveling alone with you!" he shouted rather loudly, causing the hung-over Roy to cringe.

"That remark was rather unprofessional, Fullmetal. You may hate me, but please keep it to yourself. Here, we are co-workers, nothing more." He paused. "And..._please_ don't shout again," he groaned. Ed looked rather confused about the request, but shrugged it off.

"This is _so_ gonna suck," Ed mumbled to himself. Roy wondered to himself why the Furher ever let a kid into the military. Ed then looked up at Roy, with an expression as if that previous episode had never occured.

"Hey Colonel, have you seen Hughes around lately? Is he sick?" Roy froze where he was, realizing that Ed hadn't been here when it happened. He wouldn't mind at all bursting the kid's bubble, but just saying it period made him sick to his stomach. Well, more than he already was.

"...sure." Ed shot Roy a puzzled look.

"What do you mean, 'sure'?" He narrowed his eyes. "Is there something you're hiding from me?"

"Just shut up and go home. Get some rest for tomorrow," Roy said quickly as he shooed the blonde out the door with a wave of his hand. Ed moved slowly, eyeing the Colonel suspiciously. He then sighed, realizing that he wasn't going to get any information out of him, and left.

And Roy continued his tedious paperwork.

The stressed out Colonel didn't get home until late that night, and he still had to pack his things, which sucked, because sleep was what he needed most right now. He dug out two rather small suitcases from an over-stuffed closet and lay them out on his bed. He then went back to the closet and started grabbing random items of clothing, throwing them on top of the suitcases rather lazily. He wasn't up to picking out his outfits.

The packing seemed drag on forever, but this was only because of Roy's worsening symptoms. He hoped this wasn't the consequence of the overdose of asprin. Finally, after sitting on and almost having to jump on the suitcases to get them to closed, Roy sprawled out on his bed, not even bothering to cover himself, and fell asleep instantly.

He had that dream again. The one where he was back in the middle of the Ishbal Massacre, one of his most painful memories. People were being slaughtered everywhere, and Roy felt sick to his stomach having to witness it all. As a less experienced, low-rank officer, his dream self struggled through it all, those traumatic events. He awoke to find himself drenched with sweat and clutching to a pillow for dear life.

These dreams had been occurring much to often now; at first, he had them right after the incident, and then they started happening less frequently, then not much at all. But recently, they'd been returning, worse than ever. Could this...mean something?

The Colonel, near to the point of crying, glanced over at the clock, which read 3:30. Damn. He was going to be so tired the next day. However, the symptoms of the hangover had fortunately relented at last, and he was thankful for that.

He lay his head onto the pillow he hadn't soaked with his prespiration, and closed his eyes. But sleep didn't come so easily. Not so much because of the nightmare, but because of his curiosity about the investigation he was assigned to. Such heavy thoughts...he cursed over and over about not being able to relax and fall alseep.

What was it going to be like, being partners with Fullmetal? He'd never actually _worked_ with him before, just acted his boss. Which he somewhat enjoyed; he got to yell at the shrimp. Perhaps he's be of some good use in this mission. How else could he have gotten into the military at such a young age, if not for his skill and natural talent? Wait. Was he complimenting the runt? He shook his head and turned over on his side. Sleep took him in time, and he didn't wake up for the rest of the night.

Well, yeah. That was sort of a slow-moving chapter. So far, this has only been Roy getting all angsty over Hughes. You'll see more of Ed, I promise! Hee, REVIEWS ARE APPREICATED. Come on, people.


	3. Overpacked

Hello again. You know what I'd appreciate? REVIEWS. I only got three so far (but that number's probably gonna change by the time I post this chapter. ;) Pleeaaase? I'd really like to know how I did. Thanks for reading, anyway! Well, on with the story.

**Chapter Three: Overpacked**

"Wake up, brother." Edward did not stir. Despite his going to bed early, he was still in a pretty deep sleep. Alphonse continued shaking him softly, as if he were almost afraid to wake his older brother. He _did_ tend to be cranky in the morning, he had learned by experience.

Ed suddenly frowned and muttered something Al couldn't understand, something that sounded vaguely like, "Gimmie back my tacos, damn you..." Al shook his head and would-be smiled.

"It's time to get up, brother." He began shaking him again, this time a bit harder than before, but only slightly. Ed reached down and scratched his butt abesntmindedly. He then stirred a bit in his sheets, then screamed, "I DIDN'T EAT THE PLASTIC FRUIT IN THE BOWL! I SWEAR! I WAS FRAMED!" He was throwing a temper tantrum in his dream-like state when Al decided to shake him violently.

"_Wake up, brother!_" Ed shot directly upward, panting. "Wha...? Where am I? Oh...just a dream..." he mumbled, still in a dream-like voice. He smiled as he said this and lay back down, apparently not aware of what was going on. He finally came to his senses when Al attempted to wake him yet again.

"Whaaaaaat...? What is it, Al?" Al took a deep breath to cool down his frustration, and calmly explained to Ed that if he didn't get up now and get ready, he was going to miss his train.

"But the sun isn't even up yet..." Ed complained, rubbing an eye and yawning.

"Your train leaves at six, and we're a far ways away from the station."

"Damn it all..." Ed muttered under his breath. He got out of bed slowly and grabbed his clothes. As he was putting them on, Al continued to explain things.

"You can stop for breakfast on the way; there's a coffee shop between here and the station. And the Colonel suggested that you be at the station by 5:45, so we better get going." Ed nodded and grabbed the suitcases that Al had packed for him. Al took hold of one of them, wanting to be of some help. "Cheer up, brother," he said as happily as he could.

Al was very desperate to lighten his brother's grim mood. He felt sorry for Ed having to travel alone with someone he hated so much. He personally had no problem with the Colonel, but he knew how angry he made his older brother, so he tried to avoid him as well.

The walk to the train station was very quiet, Ed scowling the whole way and shuffling his feet. And over all pretty much acting like a reluctant five-year-old. Al sighed.

"You know Ed, maybe you can take this time to get to know Roy and understand where he's coming from when you two argue. You know, he may be an all right person, if you'd just give him the chance..." He was cut off by his brother.

"Don't pull that crap on me, Al. The man's a jerk; I hate him. And I _like_ hating him. I'm not trying to be anyone's friend on this mission. I just wanna get it done with." He paused for a moment. "But why'd they choose meeee!" he groaned rather dramatically.

"You knew what you were getting into when you joined the State Alchemists, brother. You said you didn't care being a dog of the military because you just wanted to find the philosopher's stone. Well, this is a part of what you got yourself into. So don't act like it's some kind of conspiracy." Ed slumped and didn't say another word until they reached the coffee shop. _What's Al doing, lecturing me? And _I'm_ supposed to be the big brother, _he thought childishly.

When they entered the small shop, sweet aromas of assorted hot drinks and fresh-baked pastries filled the blonde one's nose. His spirits lifted, Ed smiled, and he made his way over to the selection of pastries. He had his hands up against the glass as he looked over the broad selection, and a drip of drool rolled part way down his chin before he realized it and wiped it off.

"Uh, I'll have a hot chocolate with whipped cream, and one of those, and one of those, and one of those..." he was indicating almost every pastry that was in his view, "...and one of those." Alphonse watched quietly in the background, rather scared. This breakfast couldn't be too healthy, and not to mention the sugar rush...

He almost felt sorry for Roy.

Ed payed for his large meal and sat down with all of it at the nearest table, nearly spilling his hot drink. He began digging into the mess of sweets, muttering a "Good!" or "Mmm!" every once in a while. Al was sitting next to him quietly, wanting to say something, but too afraid he might get a growl or a snarl in response. He knew better than to interrupt Ed while he was eating.

Half way through his fourth pastry, Ed groaned and clutched his stomach. "Oooohhhh... Hey Al, you wanna finish this for me, buddy?" He lifted his half-eaten sweet bun to Al's face and waved it there.

"Brother."

"Oh yeah. Man, I can't let it go to waste." He looked around, and, not coming up with anything better, wrapped it up in a napkin and shoved it in his pocket. "Maybe Roy'll eat it. Remind me to food poison it or something." He snickered.

They arrived at the train station about five minutes late, because of Ed's having to stop and go to the restroom on the way. Too much breakfast. The station was crowded with people, mostly families. This slightly depressed Ed and Al, but they had learned to get used to the fact that they were all they had. They were bumped into by many people, all in a hurry, most of them seemingly businessmen. Ed peered around through the mass of people.

"I don't see the Colonel. Could this be used as an excuse to skip out on the mission?" He put on a mock-thoughtful look, only to be answered by an "Ahem." from his brother. The kid really needed to learn to lighten up.

"But really, Al, where do you think he could be? He's probably somewhere real obvious, we just have to look harder." He glanced at his train ticket. "We should wait by the platform for him. He's probably there already."

It took them quite a while to find their train number, mostly due to the fact that Ed could barely see over the heads of all the tall people crowding everywhere. But Al finally pointed it out, and they pushed past the hordes of busy people to the platform.

No sign of Roy.

"5:45, sharp," said Ed in a deepened mock-Roy voice. "Geez, he can't even show up when he tells us to. And what gives him the right to decide everything, anyway? We're _partners_, aren't we?"

"I think it's better that he arranges everything, brother," Al said calmly with a little giggle. Ed glared at him and was about to reply, when they were interruped by a familiar shouting voice.

"SHIT." Ed glanced around quickly.

"Al, didn't that sound like...Roy?"

"I think so, brother. Let's go...I think the sound came from this direction." He pointed to where he heard the shout come from, and they pushed past people to find it. Small Edward was tossed this way and that in the middle of the crowd, while Al just plowed right through. And it was he who first saw what caused the shout.

Al had never been one to laugh at other peoples' expenses, but this... He burst out laughing, causing the panicked Ed to give him a wierd look. But then he looked to where his brother was looking.

A wide assortment of shirts, pants, socks and multicolored underpants littered the ground around an extremely frustrated State Alchemist. Beside him lay a suitcase that seemed to have burst open. Roy _had_ tried to fit a lot in his suitcases...

Ed joined his brother in his shrieks of laughter, getting disgusted looks by the passerbys. Apparently they didn't share the same hatred for Lieutenant Colonel Roy Mustang. The Colonel looked up at the hysterical Elrics and glared.

"Just shut up and help me pick this shit UP," he demanded through clenched teeth. Roy was in too bad a mood and too tired to deal with this. Ed and Al walked over and grabbed handfuls of Roy's belongings, and once all three of them had armfuls of it, Ed asked, "And you expect us to do..._what_ with these, exactly? You're not gonna try to fit it all back in your suitcase, are you?"

"What else is there to do, shrimp?" Roy remarked coldly. "You have an extra suitcase?"

"Well make yours into a bigger one, Einstein." Roy sighed, trying to seem annoyed with the older Elric, but anyone could tell that he was ashamed that he had not thought of that in the first place. He threw the clothes he was holding on the ground and took a piece of chalk out of his pocket (which he carried around conveniently, just in case.) He then drew a basic transmutation circle on the ground before them. Soon, there was a flash of light, and...tah dah! Bigger suitcase. Ed and Al instantly dropped the clothes they were holding and sat down at a nearby bench while Roy repacked.

The Colonel then walked over to the older Elric and gestured with his hand. "Well, let's get moving, shrimp! We're gonna miss our train!" Ed cringed as he heard the word "shrimp", but took what his brother said to heart and tried to exercise some tolerance. He bid good bye to his brother and followed Roy onto the train.

Hope you liked it. And once again, I stress, review. It makes me feel special inside. Kay?


	4. Are We There Yet?

Hola, everybody. Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad you all like it...I hope I can take this story far. I hardly know where it's headed myself. O.o;;

**Chapter Four: Are We There Yet?**

The sun was finally beginning to show up in the clear blue sky as Roy and Ed borded the train. The train, like the station, was rather crowded, and it took them a while to find their seats.

They sat across from one another, always keeping eye contact, looking at one another suspiciously, as if they didn't trust each other in the least bit. Ed tapped his fingers on the table separating them impatiently, waiting for the train to depart, while Roy sat back with his arms crossed. And neither of them looked away.

"You'd better behave yourself, Fullmetal. I'm not getting paid to baby sit."

"What do you think I am, nine or something? I'm fifteen, thank you very much, and I can take care of myself," Ed snarled, pulling his hand away from its resting position on the table.

"Look, just don't talk anymore until we get off. You're giving me a head..." He froze as he felt something cold spill on his head, and a purple liquid dripped down his face. "...ache." He looked up to see a grinning child with his two front teeth missing holding a cup of what was grape juice, leaning over the back of Roy's seat, standing on his own seat behind Roy's.

"Hee hee, oops..." The boy giggled. Roy twitched and clenched his teeth, and the scary look caused the boy's eyes to widen, and he sat down instantly. Roy ran a trembling hand through his hair, and pulled it back; it was covered in a sticky substance.

"God dammit...this is why I hate kids!" Roy said quite loudly, earning himself some glares from mothers sitting near him. His hair was now stuck in the shape that his hand running through it had caused; the right side was sticking up, while the left side was still matted down.

Ed snickered. _This_ was a sight to see. The Colonel clenched his hands into fists and muttered throught clenched teeth, "What're you laughing at, shrimp?" Ed's laughing died down.

"Mustang, I swear, if you call me that one more time, I'll..." Ed threatened.

"Shrimp." The black-haired one said quickly and defiantly, a smirk forming on his face.

"What did you just say?"

"Shrimp."

"You--"

"Shrimp."

"I'm swear I'm gonna..."

"Shrimpshrimpshrimpshrimpshrimpshrimpshrimp--" Suddenly, "THAT'S IT!" could be heard, and the blonde was instantly on the Colonel, hands gripping his neck tightly, shaking him back and forth. In a state of shock, Roy instinctively snapped his fingers, setting the boy's red coat on fire. Ed immediately jumped back, trying desperately to put it out.

The conductors heard the shouts and one of them ran over to where the sounds were coming from. What he saw was...interesting. There was a black-haired male with his face buried in his hands, shaking his head, and a blonde kid laying back on the table, trying to put out his flaming clothing. When they noticed they had an audience, they looked up in unison at the conductor.

"HE STARTED IT!" Ed waved a finger in the Colonel's face.

"What're you talking about, you're the one who tried to strangle me!"

"But you called me a shrimp!"

"I'm just stating the obvious."

"You wanna go, Mustang!"

"Fine, bring it!"

The conductor was in pure panic. "Um...sirs...I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to get off at the next stop. You've become a hazard to the other passengers." Roy and Ed looked back up at the conducter; now was their turn to be panicked. They would be in so much trouble with the Furher if they failed to complete their mission because they got kicked off a train...

"Here," Roy said, reaching into his pocket. "We're State Alchemists..." he shoved a pocketwatch upward in front of the man's face. "...and I don't think we military members should be treated with such poor customer service." He glanced over at Ed, who got it and nodded, backing up the other's claims.

The conducter sighed. "Very well, but any more mishaps, and you two are off for sure." He walked away rather quickly, somewhat shaken up.

"I hope you're happy, Fullmetal."

"Ohoho...so this was _my_ fault?" Roy took a deep breath and sat back in his seat.

"Look, let's just try and not talk to each other for the time being. It only seems to get us into trouble." Ed nodded, but rolled his eyes. What gave Mustang the right to act all superior?

Afternoon came, and the two alchemists were getting ever closer to their first destination. Ed heard something and looked around behind his seat. A woman was rolling a food cart down the aisle, and the smells of the assorted lunch items drifted by his nose, teasing him. His stomach began to growl as he realized he hadn't eaten since breakfast. He glanced over at the Colonel. He was taking out his wallet and counting out a few bills.

Wait.

You had to _pay_ for the food, didn't you? Crap.

"Hey, Roy...buddy..." Ed chuckled a bit and grinned at Roy as friendly as he could. Roy looked up at him and cocked a brow. "What do you want?"

"How much money you got there?"

"I'm not paying for your lunch." Ed put on a begging face.

"Awwww, come on, Roy! I spent all my money on breakfast!" The black-haired one twitched.

"You mean to tell me you came on this journey without any money? I mean, I knew you were an idiot, but _come on_."

"I thought you said this trip was funded, Roy," he moaned. "So I just brought what I needed for breakfast." Roy shook his head.

"Then you go hungry." Ed gasped.

"You're just gonna let me starve!"

"Not my problem. Now shut up." Ed's jaw hung open as the woman with the cart came to their seat and Roy bought a sub sandwich and some fries, not even paying any mind to the starving blonde. Ed whimpered and whined quietly as the woman began to wheel away. Roy was about to bite into his sandwich, but looked up at Ed, who had a desperate, pleading look in his golden eyes. He _did_ look hungry...

The Colonel sighed and ripped his sandwich in half, sliding the other half across the table to Ed. He then took a handful of fries and slid them over as well. Ed looked at Roy for a second, then at the food before him. He repeated this a few times before poking at the sandwich.

"What? You said you were hungry."

"But..._you_ touched it. It's got Roy-germs on it now." The older one rolled his eyes.

"If you don't want it, then I'll eat it." Ed responded to this by snatching the half-sandwich and looking at Roy with greedy eyes.

"I never said I didn't want it..."

"Whatever. And I guess I'll pay for your other meals while we're on this mission. Just know one thing- you're gonna pay every damn cent of the money I wasted on you when we get back. Understood?" Edward nodded happily and took a big bite out of the sandwich. "Mmmm..."

:gasp: Roy's first act of kindness towards Ed! Dun dun dun... Again, reviews are appreciated! Thank you to all you loyal readers!

"Now will


	5. First Sign

Welly well then...not much to say at the moment, but thank you to all you who've been reading so far. I got more of this planned out, and it's going to be quite a long story if it all goes as planned. I guess we'll see.

**Chapter Five: First Sign**

The first thing Roy set out to do when they got to their stop was to find and check in at their hotel so that he could wash his hair. It was becoming quite an embarrassment, stuck the way it was. Ed, in fear of another fire set on his clothing, made no comment about it, although he was laughing hysterically on the inside every time he looked up at the Colonel.

It was a nice small town, the one they were in now. No more crowds, just one of those places where everyone was friendly and welcome to you. The streets were filled with activity; merchants selling, children playing...

"Where's that damn inn? They said it was on this street..." Roy glanced down at the little piece of paper with a list of names and places scribbled down on it. He looked back up at the street sign and sighed. "It's the right street."

"Don't get your undies in a bunch, we'll find it eventually. Relax." Ed said, not looking at him. Roy clenched one of his hands into a fist, but said nothing. It would be better not to start anything right now. He had to take care of his hair.

They eventually found it, around evening. Unfortunately for Roy, they had to go to dinner before resuming their search; it was getting too late. So the Colonel had to go into yet another public place looking as he did.

The hotel was a nice one; not too fancy, but better than average. They checked into their room immediately, and Roy rushed into it and to the bathroom. Ed just shook his head and sat down on one of the beds. Their room consisted of a table, a chair, and two twin beds, the one of which farther from the window Ed chose. Let Roy be waken by the sun in the morning. Not his problem.

The blonde lay back on the hard mattress and stared up at the ceiling. How was Al? What was he doing at that very moment? He missed his brother... Stupid Mustang. He made his life hell.

Roy emerged from the steamy bathroom, with only his pants on and a towel hanging around his neck, still dripping. He seemed rather relieved. Sitting on the bed across from Ed, he lay down as well, not saying a word. Not even to criticize Ed for something. The younger one guessed he was just too tired from today to do anything.

It was still really early, but Ed guessed that the train ride had wiped them out. Well, the earlier they went to bed, the earlier they could wake up, and the faster they could catch the murderer. And the faster he could get away from Mustang.

They both fell asleep some time later without even mentioning a word to each other. Sleep felt good after the long day, but Edward didn't get to experience it for long...

His eyes shot open. Roy was muttering something rather loudly in his sleep, something that he couldn't understand. What the hell was he dreaming about? The blonde had no patience for this; he took his boot that was laying beside his bed and tossed it in Roy's direction sleepily, not really aiming. It sort of bounced off his hip, which was facing up since Roy was sleeping on his side, and landed behind the direction the sleeping alchemist was facing. Roy made a startled noise, but was still sleep-talking. He suddenly turned over and grabbed Ed's boot, hugging it closely to his chest. He started sobbing softly, clinging more tightly to the boot, as if it were his source of comfort in his time of sadness. Ed just looked at him puzzled, not sure _what_ to think. Well, one thought crossed his mind. He had to sterilize that boot in the morning. Stupid Roy-germs.

"Roy, wake up, you dumbass," Ed called softly in Roy's direction. The Colonel's sobs quieted, and he started to snore softly. _Well, at least he isn't talking anymore, _Ed thought sleepily. He then lay back and passed out again almost instantly.

The next morning was pure chaos. The two alchemists were awoken early in the morning by the sounds of people bustling and shouting outside of their room. Roy and Ed quickly got dressed (Roy doing so in the bathroom) and went outside to see what all the commotion was.

When they got down to the lobby, the woman at the checkout counter was sobbing, and a man, apparently her husband, had his arms around her, telling her over and over that everything was going to be all right.

"But it's not all right, John, not without Gregory...!" The woman broke out into another fit of uncontrolled sobbing. When Roy and Ed looked around more at the scene, there were police everywhere, investigating the scene.

Ed walked over to the couple slowly and asked John what was going on.

"Oh, you're one of our guests. We're so sorry about all of the inconvenience..." His wife shot a hateful glare towards him as if to say 'How could you call _this_ an inconvenience?'. He cringed and went on to explain, "Our son, Gregory, he's the young man you saw cleaning the lobby the other night... Well, he was...murdered last night." This statement was followed by and even louder fit of sobbing, almost screaming, causing Roy to put a hand up to his ear, wincing.

"I'm so sorry to hear that. Who did it?" Ed inquired.

"That's what we're trying to find out. It was done quickly and silently in the middle of the night, and no one even knew..." John then went to comfort his wife some more.

Roy and Ed exchanged glances.

"Could this be...?"

"Perhaps, but our suspect only goes after alchemists." John looked up.

"Oh...alchemists, you say? Gregory was a State Alchemist briefly, but quit to join the family business." Ed and Roy nodded at each other, then left the hotel. Walking down the street rather quickly, they shared a brief conversation.

"If this was done last night, the killer couldn't have gotten too far. But which direction...?" Roy pondered for a moment. This was a tough one. "Wait, Ed. I got it. There are only two ways out of this town. There just so happens to be two of us. Let's split up and--"

"But how will we know when one of us finds the murderer? And...we're State Alchemists, his targets. If he catches one of us alone..."

"Look, we'll split up, go as far as we can, then meet back at this town just before dark. If the killer sticks to his strategy, then the day is our ally." Ed hesitated, then nodded. Hey, no Mustang. Wait...

"What about fooooood...I got no money, remember?" Roy rolled his eyes and got out his wallet, counting out a few bills to give to the younger one. "This is all you're getting, punk," he muttered as he handed it to Ed, "Better spend it wisely." Ed nodded.

"One more question- what do we do when we _find_ the dude? Say, 'Oh, hi, I'm Ed, a State Alchemist, here to catch you. Will you be so kind as to let me capture you and take you back to my partner so we can take you back to headquarters where you'll be imprisoned for life, or perhaps even given the death sentence?'?" Roy rolled his eyes. But...it _was_ a good question. He sighed.

"Maybe...say you're selling pocket watches." He took his State Alchemist watch out to demonstrate. "Use yours. Lead him to an uninhabited area, then...beat him up and drag him back here." He nodded triumphantly. Ed gave him a wierd look.

"All right. I could do that. The thing is...can you?"

"I'm a better fighter than you'll ever be, Fullmetal." Ed glared, but said nothing in response.

"So, meet back here tonight?"

"Yup." They shook on it, then went their separate ways. After a few seconds, they both turned around to face the other in the distance.

"Hey Roy!" Ed called.

"Yeah?" Roy called back.

"You know what this guy looks like?"

"No."

"Me neither."

This was great. It took more arguing and debating, and they finally came up with a plan. They would each travel to the nearest town in the direction they were heading, wait for nightfall, and catch the man in the act. Whilst _not_ revealing themselves as State Alchemists.

Dun dun dun...so the plot is finally coming together... So, reviews appreciated and all that good crap, and see you in chapter six!


	6. Out of Luck

Hello, all. Thank you for all your lovely reviews. I'm glad you like the story so much. And I have SO much planned out for this chapter and later chapters... :rubs hands together and grins: Oh, Edward...

**Chapter Six: Out of Luck**

It was early afternoon when Ed discovered a town in the distance. He had been traveling down a dirt road extending from where they had begun, and the scenery didn't change much. Grass and meadows as far as the eye could see. Maybe a cow, here or there.

The town appeared run-down and impoverished. It was kind of depressing to look at, in a way. But then Edward saw the people. Despite their community, they didn't look half as miserable as one would think. They seemed bright and cheerful, as if they had all the money in the world. Children were laughing and playing with little homemade toys. People were outside cleaning their porches and humming. It sort of made Ed smile.

He wandered in a bit, looking for a place to get lunch. Perhaps there would be some restaurant somewhere. Suddenly, a small force collided with him from behind, nearly pushing him over. Ed turned around to see a scruffy-looking kid, who looked like he desperately needed a bath, lying on the ground behind him.

"S-sorry, mister." He got up and brushed himself off, then took off in the opposite direction Ed was going.

The blonde finally came across a small diner. He stood at the door and reached for his wallet to count his money. "How much did Mustang give me, anyway?"

No wallet.

"Whaa...?" Ed checked every pocket his outfit provided frantically. "Dammit! What the hell happened to my money!" He ran a hand through his hair and started shifting uneasily. "What am I gonna do about fooood..." he groaned.

Meanwhile, Roy was still wandering down his road, wondering whether there was even going to be a town. The sun was beaming down on his head now, and he really wished he'd packed a canteen or something.

Since there was nothing else to think about, his mind wandered back to work...then to Hughes. Edward was going to find out some time. Either by him if he ever had the guts to say it, or by Hawkeye or the rest. How would he react? Would he have the same feeling that Roy had, that feeling like you're in a dream and you're going to wake up any minute? He could tell that Hughes meant a lot to the Elric brothers, so of course it would be bad, but they never had the bond with him that Roy had. He sighed.

Ed had the right to know. As much as Roy disliked Ed, he had the right to know.

He promised himself he'd tell him as soon as he saw him again. It would be difficult, but he could spend this time he had to himself gathering up the courage to speak of the tragedy. Not for Ed's sake, but for Hughes. He'd want Ed and Al to know.

Miles away, Ed was sitting up against a wall, hugging his knees to his chest, having a breakdown. "What am I gonna doooo?" he asked himself over and over. It was late afternoon now, almost evening. Ed's stomach was roaring.

A young woman with dark brown hair walking along the side of the street spotted Ed out of the corner of her eye and hurried over to him.

"My god, you look sick! Are you okay?" Ed looked up at her with miserable eyes. He did in fact look sick, but that was the state he'd always be in when skipping a meal. That was just the way he was.

"I need fooood..." Ed moaned.

"You need a doctor!" The woman put a hand to Ed's forehead. No temperature.

"No, fooood."

"Oh, all right. You can have a big meal at my place, then I'm taking you to a doctor." Ed's heart leapt, and he threw his arms around the woman. "I love you!" The woman stared blankly for a moment, then just shrugged it off, thinking that the blonde was delirious from his sickness.

Ed found her house to have a warm and cozy feeling, much like the house he grew up in with his mother and Al. There were only two plates set out at the table, but she quickly put out a third one and began serving the roasted chicken she had just taken out of the oven.

Apparently following the smell, a small boy emerged from the hallway. "Is dinner ready?" Ed looked up, then sprung up from the chair he was sitting in, yelling, "It's...it's YOU!" He waved a finger at the boy.

The woman looked up at Ed. "You know Billy?" Ed snarled. "That little punk stole my wallet! He's the reason I missed lunch!"

She looked over at the boy and placed a hand on her hip. "Billy, have you been pick-pocketing again?" Billy looked down and nodded. "Yes'm."

"Give the boy back his money."

"Yes'm." Billy reached into his pocket and pulled out Ed's wallet. He handed it to the blonde, glaring defiantly. Ed stuck out his tounge and took it. After the exchange of dirty looks between Billy and Ed, the woman introduced herself, and Ed did the same. Her name was Rebecca.

Eventually, they started eating. Ed seemed as if he was going to eat his fork and knife and then move on to his fingers, he ate so fast and thoroughly. Billy and Rebecca stared in amazement.

"So...Edward, was it? What brings you to town?" Ed looked up, eyes widened, as if thinking _Oh yeah!_

"Oo gaw anee akemists in thish twn?" Ed asked, food falling out of his full mouth.

"Pardon?"

"Sorry. Are there any alchemists around here that you know of?" It'd be best to confirm the killer's target, so that he could catch him in the act.

"No. We don't know any alchemists. Are you an alchemist, by any chance?" Ed nodded.

"Well...did stranger besides me wander into town today?"

"Hm...oh yes! There was one tough looking old man. Looked real mean, had cold eyes. I told Billy to keep away from him, and you should do the same." Ed's eyes widened. Perhaps...this was the killer?

"Do you know where I can find him?"

"Did you hear what I just said? He looks dangerous."

"Look, I'm searching for someone, and I think this guy might be it. Can you tell me where I can find him?"

"Well, he's been spending a lot of time down at the bar. He's got dirty blonde hair- I mean 'dirty' as in both color and unclean. He's also got a scar..." she ran a finger along her forehead, "right about here. You can't miss him."

Ed finished up his meal, and nodded at Rebecca. "Thanks for everything!" He waved and hurried out the door. This could be it...he'd beat Roy at something! He could just see it now.

_Ed walked into the town he and Roy were supposed to meet at, dragging a tied up killer behind him. A triumphant grin spread across his face as he saw an ashamed-looking empty-handed Roy._

_"Hey Mustang, I caught him."_

_"Golly gee, Ed. I feel like such a dork and a loser right now. I think I'm gonna cry." Roy placed a hand over his eyes.  
_

_"Yes, you are a dork and a loser, but don't feel bad. I'll still be your friend!" Roy gasped._

_"Thank you Ed! I'm not such a friendless loner after all! I may be a total retard, but at least I have you!"_

Ed smirked and laughed a little, despite how wierd Roy's last sentence sounded in his little fantasy.

He found the bar Rebecca told him about without any trouble and strode inside as casually as he could. He wasn't told to leave, surprisingly, though he hardly looked twenty-one. But when he sat up on the bar stool, the bar tender glared at him and told him he couldn't order any drinks. Ed thought that it wouldn't be the best idea to argue, because he couldn't win anyway.

He surveryed the place, and sure enough, his eyes fell upon a middle-aged man who fit Rebecca's description perfectly. Ed gulped; he _was_ tough-looking. Kinda scary. But this was his mission, and he had to fullfill it. Besides, he had to see the look on Mustang's face when he brought the criminal back into town.

The blonde slowly got down from the barstool and made his way to the suspect, trying to look as tough and manly as he could.

"Hey." The man looked up when he heard Ed. His eyes were cold, and the alchemist could swear he saw a faint glow of crimson in them.

"Whadda you want?" His voice was heavily slurred. If Ed's prediction was correct, the man would be passing out very soon. The blonde slowly sat down and attempted a smile.

"So...you been in town long?" The man belched and wiped his chin with his sleeve.

"Nope." Ed shook his head. This wasn't going to get him anywhere. He may as well cut to the chase.

"So, what do you got against alchemists?" The man looked at him funny.

"Whaddaya talkin' 'bout? Wha, you're an alchemist?" He waved a finger in the blonde's face.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not." The man's eyes flickered, and a malicious grin spread slowly across his face. He immediatley reached with both arms across the table and grabbed the blonde by the throat. He then walked around the table and held Ed up against himself, putting his arm across the blonde's neck and pulling a gun out of his jacket pocket with his free hand. He jammed it into Ed's temple.

"Nob'dy move, nob'dy say anything, got it! The kid's comin' wi' me!" Nobody in the small bar dare go against the man's word. Ed made a tiny sound of protest, only resulting in the gun being pushed harder against the side of his head. The man dragged Ed out of the bar and walked him down the street, looking for a way out of town.

"This town ain't worth much," he muttered to himself before looking down at Ed. "Alright kid, my name's Keith, and you'll be workin' for me. Got it, punk?" He dug the gun harder into the blonde's temple. Ed grunted.

"What do you want with _me_? What can a kid do for you?"

"You said yer an alchemist, didn't ya? Alchemy should come in handy with my...profession. See, I dun much like to pay fer things, get what I'm sayin'? I'd much rath'r take things by force."

So this wasn't the murderer. Keith was a robber.

Shit, well wasn't this fun? _I guess my little fantasy won't come true after all._

It wasn't until nightfall that Roy found a town. By then, his feet were horribly sore, and he felt like he could collapse at any moment.

_Now how should I do this..._ the Colonel thought to himself as he observed the sleeping town. In the end, (without narrowing down his search by asking around like Ed) he decided on propping himself up against a building where he had a pretty good view of most of the area. He'd just have to keep his eyes and ears alert to any sign of movement; any sign of someone not inside their house, fast asleep like all the rest. He felt rather comfortable sitting after walking all day, but he kept himself wide awake, determined to pull an all-nighter. He had to if he wanted to catch this killer. A scenario ran through his mind, about what would happen after he caught the criminal.

_The daring and handsome Roy smirked triumphantly as he walked into the town he and Ed were supposed to meet at, dragging a tied up killer behind him. He saw Ed, who looked beat up and dirty and defeated, and waved._

_"Edward, I have caught the criminal." _

_Ed's eyes widened as he spoke in a high-pitched tone, "Oh, Roy! You're so much cooler than me, and better and smarter and stronger and handsomer!"_

_Roy nodded. "I know I am. Let's head back to headquarters, and we can celebrate with a round of drinks!"_

_"But Roy, I'm just a little kid,"-he said with emphasis on the word "little"- "I could never get into a bar. You couldn't sneak me in anyway, because I'm too puny and short," he whined. Roy patted him on the head._

_"It's all right, little one. You'll get taller someday. Maybe."_

_Ed's eyes lit up. "Oh, Roy! If I were a girl, I'd totally fall in love with you!"_

Roy snapped awake at that last sentence. What the freaking hell? He rubbed his eyes. "How long have I been asleep?" he asked himself. It was still very dark out, except for the radiant moonlight flooding the streets. No sign of activity, but then again, he had no idea if he had missed anything while asleep.

He looked up at the stars. What a beautiful and comforting sight... He sighed and closed his eyes without realizing it. Looks like he needed sleep more than he thought.

This time, Roy didn't wake up until morning. And the only reason he did wake up was because of the shouting of townspeople and the mass confusion in the streets. The Colonel got up slowly; he was rather stiff from sleeping up against a wall. He made his way over to a policeman who didn't look as busy as the others.

"What's going on here?"

"You just get here? A beloved elderly man of this town...he was a doctor who could perform miracles...was murdered last night." Roy's eyes widened.

"These miracles...were they alchemy?"

"How should I know? I just heard about him from one of the townsfolk. You should ask one of them." Roy nodded, but didn't bother asking anyone about the "miracles". It was too obvious. The man was a doctor who performed alchemy, and he was killed by the murderer he was after. While the Colonel was asleep. Perfect.

He bit his lip and paced back and forth. What should he do? There were many more directions he could have taken off in this time, and only he could go after him. Damn. Roy took a deep breath and decided to head back to the town he and Ed were designated to meet at.

"I guess my little fantasy won't come true after all."

Poor little Edward...whatever will he do? Mwahaha...I'm so evil. I have so much in store for the little shorty. Please review!


	7. Theft

Hey peoples...I know I haven't updated in a real long time, but I"ve been going through a bit of a writer's block, and almost lost interest completely with this story. And I'm sorry about leaving you all at that cliffhanger, truly, I am. ;; Please forgive me.

**Chapter Seven: Theft**

The sun was already in its afternoon position in the sky when Roy finally arrived back at the town where he and Ed split up, tired and disappointed. What if Ed didn't find the killer? Was this mission just going to drag on forever? He took a look around town. No sign of the shrimp.

He shrugged. Oh well, perhaps his destination was just further away.

Roy had a big dinner at a restaurant and left for a hotel; a different one this time.

"Also, Miss, if you don't mind, if a short boy with blonde hair comes asking for a 'Roy Mustang', please direct him to my room. Thanks." And with that he left.

It was already nightfall, and Ed still hadn't returned. The Colonel decided to stay awake and wait for him, though he had no idea why. Perhaps he was just curious as to whether Ed had been successful or not. Well, whatever the cause, Roy propped himself up against his bed and took out a book he had brought along.

Hours passed, and still no Edward. Roy was beginning to get awfully worried; the killer _did_ target alchemists, after all.

_What would happen if Ed died? _the Colonel asked himself absentmindedly. He closed his book, placed it at his side, and stared up at the ceiling. The story he was reading was nearing its climax, but suddenly he had lost all interest in it as he thought about this question.

_Would I care?_

Roy tried to imagine it; wouldn't he be happier without the little walking headache he had to deal with almost daily? Or at least less stressed? No...as Roy pictured it, he felt nothing but regret about how he had treated Ed. As much as he hated to admit it, he would miss him terribly...almost as much as he did Hughes.

It would be quieter at work, he knew that for sure. No mascot amongst his co-workers to lighten the mood. And the younger Elric would have no one; he would be all alone. Edward had made a big impact on a lot of people's lives, he realized. Including the Colonel's.

"Why am I stressing out about this?" Roy thought aloud. "I just know he'll turn up tomorrow morning, annoying as usual, and I'll feel like a total dumbass about my sentimental feelings the previous night." And with that thought, Roy lay his head down on one of the flat pillows and closed his eyes.

Ed opened his eyes slowly. Morning had taken its sweet time getting here, that's for sure. He stirred in the sheets that were given to him to cover him on the hard floor. When had he fallen asleep...? He thought he was going to be up all night for sure, with the uncomfortable conditions. He looked up at the bed to the right of him. The sounds of loud snoring coming from Keith echoed throughout the small hotel room. Another factor that kept him awake.

Suddenly, the snoring ceased, followed by a gruff, "You awake, kid?"

"Yeah...didn't get much slee--"

"Good. Go ahead and get ready, and we'll be off," Keith interrupted, as if Ed wasn't even trying to say something.

Ed cringed at the pain in his back as he sat up, but obeyed his captor. He did have a nice shiny pistol, after all. He pulled on his socks and boots and stood up. Keith was already in the bathroom shaving, so Ed took the opportunity and fell back down on Keith's bed. Ah...he had forgotten how nice a bed had felt. And that was only after one night.

"What the hell're you doin' kid?" Ed shot up instantly at the sound of the big man's voice. He sure didn't waste any time getting ready.

"I dunno...just...relaxing," came Edward's meek reply.

"Well don't get used to it. You won't be doin' much o' that." He walked over to the door and gestured for Ed to follow. Ed was obedient, too afraid to do anything else.

It was easy to defy the Colonel. Fun, too. But Keith...Keith was dangerous. So he quickly learned to drop his defiant nature as he worked along side the man.

Today was their first heist. In the same city they had stayed in, they were going to rob a big bank, using Edward's alchemy to break an entry. The man was quite resourceful.

They arrived at the bank shortly, Ed practically dragging his sore leg with his artificial one behind Keith. Keith was busy looking around, observing every aspect of the building, as if he had done this a million times before. And Ed guessed that he did.

"Alright, kid. t-...what's that 'T' word?"

"Transmute?"

"Yeah, yeah that's it. Transmute through this wall..." he indicated one of the sides of the large building. "...when I give the signal. Follow me inside, and be prepared to do alchemy when I need it and call for it. Stay close behind me too, cause I don' want you gettin' caught by the police or nothin'. I need you too much." Ed nodded.

Keith looked around quickly, seeing that the coast was clear, then shouted, "NOW!" Ed jumped when Keith hollered and ran over to the side of the building. He clapped his hands together and transmuted a hole in the wall. Screams could be heard from inside the building.

Keith ran in through the hole, and Ed followed behind as closely as he could, not wanting to anger the criminal. Keith waved his gun in every direction, hollering threats and demanding all the money he could carry. He looked out through the hole, and saw that the police were heading right for it.

"Kid! Close up the wall! NOW!" Ed ran quickly over to the open wall and sealed it perfectly, and it looked as though nothing had touched it. Shouts of frustration could be heard from the police from outside the wall.

Once he collected a rather large sum of money, Keith pointed over to the opposite wall and told Ed to transmute through that one. And he had just finished when a policeman who had managed to make his way through the front door shot him in the real leg.

Ed screamed, and Keith grabbed him by the automail arm and dragged him as far away from the scene as possible. He turned into an alleyway and propped Ed up against a wall. "You okay, kid?"

"Does it look like I'm _okay_!" Ed cried, almost hysteric. Blood was pumping freely from his wounded leg.

"Once we get outta town, I'll fix you up." He dragged Ed out of the alleyway and picked him up so that he was riding piggy-back. It was the only way they could get away fast enough.

After a long dash out of the city, Keith finally managed to lose the police by dodging down a different road. He then sat Ed down and looked over his wound. "Don' look too bad."

Ed didn't even have the energy to respond to this statement. He had lost a dangerous amount of blood, and was almost at the point of passing out. Keith took some bandages out of his pack and began dressing Ed's wound over his pants. Ed winced and cringed and even whined, but did not cry.

"There. All better."

"I...still can't walk." Keith let out a long sigh and mumbled, "Fine. I'll carry you. But don't expect me to do this ever again."

Luckily for the two, a town appeared in the distance before nightfall. They ignored all the stares they were getting from the passerby about Ed's leg, which was bleeding through the bandages.

They rented a room in a small inn, and Keith once again claimed the only bed in the room. Ed, too exhausted to argue, sat down against the wall and passed out cold.

Roy was a bit anxious when Ed didn't show up for the entirety of the next whole day. But he wasn't dead. He couldn't be. The stupid kid probably just got himself into some sort of trouble in the town he was in.

"Guess it's up to me to find the shrimp," Roy said, and then sighed. It was getting too boring waiting around the hotel room anyway. He set off in the direction that Ed left in, hoping for a miracle.

Well, hope this chapter was worth the wait. I'll try to be better about it in the future.


	8. Finding the Strength

No, your eyes don't decieve you! It's an update! I haven't given up on this story yet, so don't worry. :)

And please remember, people- Save a horse. Ride a Mustang.

**Chapter Eight: Finding the Strength**

The sky was darkening quickly as Roy walked at quite a fast pace down the long dirt road. Anxiety had overwhelmed the Colonel; the faster he moved, the sooner he would find out if Ed was okay. He had no idea why he cared so much, but he didn't let that bother him as he searched for the missing alchemist.

Perhaps it was because he didn't want to lose someone else, whether it be a loved one or someone he despised. But now that Roy thought about it, he never really _despised_ Ed, did he?

"Wake up, boy." Ed cracked an eye open to find Keith standing over him, his hair dripping wet from just getting out of the shower, and fully clothed. "Let's get goin'."

Ed whined pitifully. He couldn't move his leg at all, probably due to the blood loss. It was just a lump of flesh, bone and muscle caked with a mixture of dried and fresh blood attatched to his aching body now. Blood had stained the carpet around him as well. And sleeping in a sitting position up against a wall hadn't helped his body aches in the least bit. He was surprisingly pale, and thin, too, because of how meagerly Keith had fed him over the past couple of days.

"What? You still fussing over yer damn leg? Take the pain like a man." Ed looked up into Keith's eyes with his own drooping ones.

"I can't move it."

"'Course you can, boy. Just put yer mind to it. Now get up." He extended his hand out to Ed, expecting him to take it. Ed just drooped his head and closed his eyes.

"I said get up."

"My leg's completely numb."

Keith hollered every curse word he knew and kicked Ed in the gut. Ed gasped and clutched his stomach. "You'll do what I say, boy! No GET UP!" Ed, the wind still knocked out of him, got to his knees, his automail leg doing all the work. All his weight shifted to and was supported by his artificial leg.

"Good. See? Didn't I tell you you could do it? Now leggo of my arm." Ed still clutched it tightly. "I said LEGGO, boy!" Keith snatched his arm away quickly, and Ed fell forward to the floor with a loud _thud_.

"YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT!" He kicked the unmoving form on the floor in the side, his boot coming into the blonde hard. The unmoving form screamed. He tried his best to choke back his tears, but they came anyway. Ed's body quivered as he sobbed silently on the hotel room floor.

Keith started to realize that if he killed his "little helper" now, then his heists wouldn't go as smoothly as the last one. "Boy."

Ed made a helpless and pathetic whimper in response. Keith sighed heavily and spoke calmly, "Okay. You can take the day to rest up. But _only one day_. Any more of this 'I'm too weak' shit, and I'll put a hole through yer head." He jammed his pistol into Ed's temple. "Go that?" Ed tried his best to make a distinct nod.

"Good."

By nightfall, Roy had reached the impoverished little town that Ed had first arrived in. The Colonel asked around for his commrade, careful of who he showed his pocketwatch to. He got some pretty excited and wild responses from the people still startled from the night Keith took Ed captive. Roy heard about six different versions of the story from the many people he asked, one in which Keith killed Ed and dragged his corpse off, another saying that Ed cut off Keith's arm and threw it at a man, which knocked him out cold. But all of them basically told him that the 15 year old had been kidnapped by a maniac.

The Colonel was in a state of panic by now. What the hell was he supposed to do now? This bandit could have gone off anywhere. He knew he'd have to decide somehow which road out of the town to take. He eventually settled on thinking like a theif would, and asked around for what road led to the wealthiest city. They all indicated the same road, and Roy took a chance and started down it.

It was quite a short distance to the next town, remarkably shorter than his first destination was. Roy arrived in the early morning, around three. To his surprise, he noticed policemen and construction workers running about everywhere he looked.

The Colonel soon found out why.

A rather large building, which appeared to have been a bank, was almost completely demolished. One of its sides had collapsed. Was this...Ed's doing? Or was that just being too optimistic? A policeman confirmed his first assumption.

"You here to help?" the young policeman asked coldly.

"No, I'm just...looking for someone. What happened here?"

"A man and a boy...a boy who could destroy solid walls..." he said as if he didn't even believe the words coming out of his mouth, "...broke into the bank and stole quite a large sum of money." Yup. That was Ed. No doubt in Roy's mind.

The man continued, "We tried to catch them, but they escaped too quickly."

"Did you see which direction they went off in?" Roy asked excitedly. The policeman gave him a strange look.

"That way...What, are you gonna try and play hero or something? You're welcome to try, but let me warn you: they're good..." his voice trailed off, and he shook his head slowly. Roy nodded quickly and ran off.

_Hope I'm not too late..._

Keith had spent the whole day out of the hotel room, doing his own things. Ed spent the majority of the day in a deep sleep, but would sometimes wake up and stare blankly at the undecorated wall.

_I'm going to die..._

Ed had come to terms with his certain fate, but didn't like it. And it wasn't the fact that he was going to die. It was the people he was going to disappoint.

_Alphonse..._

How would his brother ever get his body back now? Al was smart, but they were a team, and he knew that his brother would just give up if he died.

_Roy..._

Wait...what? Roy wouldn't give a damn.

_He'd be happy to be rid of me._ Ed brought his knees up to his chest and buried his face in them. Tears flooded his eyes, and he began to sob quietly. _We never even made up._

He lifted his head. What was he doing? Winry and Alphonse had always looked up to Ed for his strength. Some strength this was. Perhaps...he could escape? No, he couldn't even walk. But maybe...he could try. Maybe he could make it out of the building.

_I have to try._ He crawled over to the bed, and repeated his motion of standing up that he did before, replacing the use of Keith's arm with the use of the bed post. His legs shook, and he staggered, but he managed to stand. It was a start.

Using the wall for support, he made his way to the door. Turning the knob slowly, he managed to get it open.

He thanked his lucky stars that their room was on the first floor. Once outside, he continued using the wall for support as he limped to the front of the hotel building.

Once there, he stood against the wall and smiled weakly, but triumphantly. He'd find some place to stay...some place to hide. Then he'd find Roy, and everything would be all better.

Well, that would be the case if Keith wasn't standing ten feet in front of him, a bottle of booze in his hand.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, boy?" Ed could barely hear those words as the world started to spin. His breathing became heavy and labored, and he found himself sliding down the wall. Then he heard another voice, but he could just barely tell that the noise was a voice. His vision was completely blurred.

The last thing he felt before he blacked out was a pair of strong arms wrap around his limp body.

Well, hope you like it. We'll get to the romance real soon...I promise. :3


	9. Bed Ridden

Hello again. Thanks to all you loyal readers who left those wonderful reviews. They make me feel special. :3 Anyway, the reviews are my motivation to keep writing this story, so keep reading, and keep reviewing:)

Here...is the chapter that marks the beginning of their romance. I really hope you enjoy it.

**Chapter Nine: Bed Ridden**

The elder Elric's eyes opened slowly, then shut themselves tight again when the horribly bright light hit them. He didn't feel sore like he did before he collapsed...he was totally numb.

_Wait...am I dead? Oh shit...I am, aren't I?_

Suddenly, the feeling started to return to his body. He didn't feel as crappy as before, but he still ached.

_I guess I'm alive...but wbere am I?_

The sudden sound of a page turning caused him to crack open his eyes. The light didn't seem so bright any more, so he was gradually able to open them all the way. He slowly brought his hand up to shield his eyes. Then he turned his head over in the direction the sound had come from.

There sat Colonel Roy Mustang, in a chair beside his bed, reading quietly. He had a bandage on his left cheek and his upper forehead, and had a slight bruise on his right cheek.

"R-ROY!" Ed nearly jumped. The Colonel looked up quickly in surprise.

"So...the sleeping beauty finally awakes." He smirked.

"Where am I?"

"Where does it look like you are? You're in a hospital, shrimp." Ed didn't even bother to reply to the insult. He was too shocked that he had made it out alive. Wait...

"Where's Keith!" Ed sat up and looked around warily.

"Dead." Roy said, not looking up from his book.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"What happened...? And..." He paused. "...why did you...hug me? I felt it before I blacked out."

"Wh-what? Th-th-that wasn't a hug, you m-moron!" Roy waved his hands in protest. "I...was trying to pick you up so that I could carry you to safety. But then that Keith guy said, 'What do you think you're doing?' And I said, 'I'm getting help for my friend.' And then he walked up to me and punched me right here..." He pointed to the bruise. "I swung at his head, but he ducked and hit me in the gut. He then broke his bottle over my head, and that's how I got this," He indicated the large bandage on his forehead. "He dug a piece of the broken glass right here..." He pointed at the bandage on his cheek. "...and that's when I snapped my fingers and set his entire body on fire. He died slowly. When the police showed up, I told them it was in my self-defense...which it was, so they let it go and drove you and me to the hospital. This was four days ago."

Ed just stared in amazement. "You did all that...went through all that...just to save _me_? You could've just run away or something." Ed then looked down.

"Now why would I do that? I need you to help me figure out this-" he was stopped short by the sound of soft sobbing. Ed had his face buried in his knees, crying.

"What the- what's wrong, Ed?" Roy scooted his chair closer and placed a hand on the blonde's head.

"I...I really th-thought...I was g-going t-to...die," Ed choked out. "I was so...so scared, Roy..." The blonde then felt those same arms that had wrapped around him four days ago take him into another warm embrace. Ed's head was resting against Roy's warm chest, and his sobs quieted down a bit.

"It's over now, Ed." Roy was calling him "Ed" now. Not "shrimp". Not "Elric". Not "Fullmetal", but his real name, as if they were...friends, now. Ed now returned the hug tightly.

"R-Roy...what would've happened...if I died? What would you have done?" Roy was silent. He was silent because he wasn't so sure of the answer himself.

"Well, you're not dead. Be thankful." He let go of Ed and stood up. "I'm...going to get something to eat. You want anything?" Ed nodded. He hadn't eaten in so long, after all.

"Get me whatever they have. I don't care. And bring lots of it." Roy nodded and left.

The only reason Roy left to go get food was to just get out of that room. He felt so strange now...so light-headed. Why? And why did he hug Ed? Because the brat was crying, and he wanted him to shut up.

No...it wasn't that. It was something else. Something that Roy couldn't define made him do it. And now he was flushed and light-headed. His heart was also pounding at a faster rate.

_Why, dammit!_ Roy rubbed at his eye with the palm of his hand. This was way too confusing.

Late that night, while Ed was fast asleep, Roy sat in that same chair, staring at the ceiling in the darkness. The nurse had offered him a room to stay in while he waited for Ed to recover, but he declined, wanting to stay in Ed's room to make sure he was all right. He didn't know why, he just...wanted to.

The blonde looked so peaceful as he slept, as Roy had discovered in all the glances he had stolen at Ed. His golden bangs fell gently over his face, and his breathing was slow and quiet. He looked so innocent...so young. Yet grown and mature at the same time. Roy couldn't describe it, but his admiration for the young prodigy was slowly and steadily growing. Ed stirred a bit, his face showing discomfort. Roy looked and saw the reason- Ed had kicked off his covers in his sleep. The Colonel leaned forward and tucked him back in slowly, trying his best not to wake him.

A soft smile spread across the Colonel's face as he lifted his hand to gently push back the hair in Ed's eyes. He tucked the strands of hair behind his ear, and soon found himself stroking the hair back there over and over again. When he realized what he was doing, he made a disgusted face and pulled his hand away.

_What am I thinkning?_

He sighed and sat back in his chair, his heart pounding again.

The next morning, Ed sat up in bed, stretching his real arm and yawning. "Man, I haven't gotten a good sleep like that in a long time." He grinned, but his grin faded when he looked over at Roy. "C...Colonel?"

Roy glared back at Ed with dark circles under his eyes and his hair all messed up. He was a mess. "What?" he grunted.

"Did you get any sleep at all last night?" Ed said in a concerned tone.

"No."

"You should've taken the nurse's offer, Roy. What gave you the idea that you'd get any sleep at all in a wooden chair?" Roy didn't say anything; he just glared back at the chipper blonde.

"Just leave me alone."

"Whatever."

The entire day was totally uneventful. Ed spent the whole time in bed, complaining that he couldn't walk, and Roy got to know the entire building pretty well, wandering the hallways aimlessly and flirting shamelessly with the young nurses he came across. Roy would drop by and check on Ed occasionally, but would get bored and continue getting to know the entire hospital.

Although it passed slowly, the day still passed, and night was upon them once again. Roy still refused to get his own room, for reasons unknown to even him. However uncomfortable the chair was, Roy fell asleep almost instantly. Sleep deprivation can do that to you.

It took Ed a little while to fall asleep. All the rest he'd been getting lately had made it difficult now. He turned over to face Roy, who had nodded off and was snoring softly.

_Great, like I'm gonna get any sleep with the sound of _him_ breathing like that._ But his expression softened as he recalled what Roy told him. The Colonel actually fought for him, when he didn't even have to. Like it was in his _interest_ to make sure Ed was alive. The blonde sighed deeply and closed his eyes. He pictured the fight scene in his mind, and the thoughts comforted him enough to help him fall asleep.

Morning came, and the hospital was in total panic. Roy had already awakened early, but felt refreshed after finally getting a decent night's sleep. Ed finally woke to the sound of someone screaming, "Who would be evil enough commit a murder in a _hospital_!"

He opened his eyes and sat up with a start. He looked over at Roy, who stared directly back into his eyes.

"Someone was killed overnight. I got the details from a doctor. Apparently another doctor was murdered. I think it's our man."

"What makes you think that?"

"The doctor said that the victim had practiced alchemy in his younger days." Ed's eyes widened, then he buried his face in his hands. "Crap."

"What?"

"I think you just proved my theory right. The murderer is following us."

Roy's eyes widened. "You mean..."

"Yeah. Have you noticed that all his recent strikes were made where we were stayingn at the time? Or at least where one of us was staying? I think we're going to be targets...real soon. He's just toying with us for now." Ed's voice sounded as if he was about to start crying.

"You have a point there...I think you're right." He stood up and walked past Ed. Before he reached the door, he turned so that he could see the Elric. "But you shouldn't worry, Ed. I won't let anything happen to you, I promise. So just trust me, okay?" He opened the door and left the room abruptly, leaving Ed bewildered.

Roy spent the entire day out of the hospital, looking around town and trying to clear his head. He had so much on his mind, being cooped up in the hospital building would drive him practically insane.

He didn't deny the fact that he wanted to protect Ed now. Or the fact that the young alchemist had grown on him. But how on Earth was he going to defend the elder Elric from that maniac, genius murderer? He spent the entire day pondering this...and realized a few other things, as well.

Meanwhile, Ed had been working on trying to walk again. Most of his strength had returned, and it only took him about half a day to get used to being on his feet again. He was still a bit sore, but mostly recovered. The doctors said that they only needed him to stay for one more night, just to make sure everything was in order.

Roy returned in the late evening, carrying food he had picked up from the cafeteria for both Ed and himself. They ate together in total silence.

"I'm being let out tomorrow."

"...that's good."

"What's with you? You've taken like...three little bites out of your sandwich, and we've been eating for fifteen minutes. And you're so quiet." Roy said nothing in response. He just averted his eyes from Ed's.

"Answer me, Colonel." Roy stood up.

"I have to...go use the restroom." He left quickly.

That night, well after midnight, the scenario of the first night played itself out again. Ed was fast asleep, and Roy was wide awake and watching over Ed. He had kind of zoned out into a trance-like state, eyes still on Ed, but falling asleep. He caught himself as he began to nod off, and jerked awake.

Roy, after rubbing his eyes and stretching, noticed that Ed was stirring a bit. A nightmare, perhaps?

Before he knew it, the Colonel was lying beside Ed. For some reason, all of his judgement was thrown to the wind.

Ed opened his eyes slowly when he felt warm lips pressed against his.

Dun dun DUN! _Man_, I am evil. Shall I torture you and put this off again...:rubs hands together and laughs maniacally:


End file.
